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No. 623,146. Patented Apr. I8, |899. E. J. FRANCIS 0. H. BURGHAM.

ANNEALING BOX.

(Application lad June 3, 1898.1

(No Model.)

HE NcRms PETERS co.. Pum'nLmlo.. wur-Ammon D n:

lINiTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EVAN J. FRANCIS AND OLIVER H. BURGHAIWI, OF NEV KENSINGTON,PENNSYLVANIA.

ANNEALlNG-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,146, dated April18, 1899.

Application filed June 3, 1898. l Serial No. 682,429. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that we, EVAN J. FRANCIS and OLrvER H. BURGHAM, residents ofNew Kensington, in the county of 'Vestmoreland and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inAnnealing-Boxes; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description thereof.

Our invention relates to annealing-boxes.

The object of our invention is to provide a form of protection for theannealing box against the intense heat to which it is subjected withinthe annealing-furnace, and so increase the life of the box.

To these ends our invention comprises certain novel features hereinafterset forth and claimed.

To enable others skilled inthe art to make and use our invention, wewill describe the same more fully7 referring to the accompanying`drawings, in which- Fignre l is a perspective view of our improvedannealing-box. Fig. 2 is a view of the cap removed. Fig. 8 is across-section of the box.

Like letters indicate like parts in each of the iigures.

In the accompanying drawings the letter ct represents a suitableannealing-box, formed of cast-iron or other suitable metal, adapted tocontain the metal to be annealed, said box when in use resting on thebottom or base b. The lugs c on the sides of said box furnish means forgrasping the box by suitable mechanism for lifting it from or placing iton the bottom l).

On the box CL is the cap or shield d, formed of cast-iron or any othersuitable .incombustible material. This cap cl incloses the upper edgesand corners of the box, as well as upper portions of the walls of same.The cap cl has formed therein the ledge or shoulder e, which is adaptedto rest on the top of the box, whereby an air-space is left between theupper face of the box and said cap. As the central portion of the cap isnot so directly exposed to the action of the heat, the cap is notnecessarily made solid; but to save material it may be formed with theopening f. The cap may also be supplied with lugs g for purposes ofhandling.

When our improved annealing-box is in use, the cap d is lowered ontosame before it is placed in the furnace.

When in the furnace, the upper edges, corners, and upper portions of thewalls of the box are subjected-to the highest heat, and ordinarily theboxes crack and warp at these points. If these boxes develop suchcracks, they are useless, as the admission of air to the box willoxidizethe metal contained therein and make it of no value. By the employmentof the cap or shield these exposed parts of the box are protected andthe cracks prevented. Furthermore, the air-space between the cap andlthe top of the box tends to prevent the action of the heat on the capas well as the box, so that said cap will last longer. Of course when acap wears out it has to be removed and another substituted; but the costof the cap is small in comparison with the cost of an entire new box.

The cap may be formed of asbestos, ifA desired, owing to its well-knownheat-resisting qualities.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Pat-ent,is-

An annealing-box having a removable cap of incombustible material, saidcap being so supported thereon as to leave an air-space between said capand the upper face of said box, substantially as set forth. f

In testimony whereof we, the said EVAN J. FRANCIS and OLIVER H.BURGHAM,have hereunto set our hands.

EVAN J. FRANCIS. OLIVER H. BURGHAM.

Witnesses: l v

ROBT. D. TOTTEN, JAMES I. KAY.

